The brave men and women who serve as police officers, firefighters, EMTs and emergency room personnel help us at some of our most vulnerable moments. Their experiences can inspire a deep reflection on life that leads them to some compelling beliefs. Click the links below to explore what these first responders believe about their work.

1. The Passion to Volunteer
2. More Than a Job
3. Connecting with My Patients
4. Doing Something with My Life
5. To Be the Best Humans We Can Be

A number of prominent African-Americans were featured on Edward R. Murrow’s original This I Believe radio series. Their words helped build momentum for the civil rights movement in the years leading up to the Montgomery bus boycott, lunch-counter sit-ins and the march on Washington. Click the links below to hear their inspiring words.

1. All or Nothing
2. The Birthright of Human Dignity
3. Looking at Life Through Another’s Eyes
4. God Is the Father of All Men
5. Free Minds and Hearts at Work
6. The Courage to Change the Things I Can

Whether a true historically fabricated diner, or just a down-home restaurant that serves pie and coffee at the counter, the diner is a place where people take a break from daily life and find a bit of humanity. So order a stack of pancakes and a cup of coffee—and enjoy these beliefs inspired by gathering at the diner.

1. Peace Begins With One Person
2. At Moni’s Grill
3. Making It Up as I Go Along
4. Do Talk to Strangers
5. Remembering the Past at Waffle House

Several cultures around the world celebrate festivals or holidays to observe the act of being thankful. Historically, people gave thanks for a bountiful harvest, but today, many individuals consider it important to express appreciation for what one has on a daily basis. As we head into a new year, click the links below to learn how others have cultivated lifelong beliefs from the emotions of gratitude, thankfulness, and gratefulness.

1. Happy With What I Have
2. The Act of Giving Thanks
3. Paying Attention to the Silver Lining
4. The Learning Curve of Gratitude
5. Saying Thank You

As with any faith tradition, it can sometimes be a challenge for Muslims to balance one’s religious practices with one’s beliefs and the obligations of daily life. Click the links below to learn how these Muslims integrate their spiritual and secular lives.

1. We Are Each Other’s Business
2. Celebrating Our Dreams and Flaws
3. The Test of Life
4. My Pride, Their Prejudice
5. Ingredients to a Richer Personality
6. The Right to Be Fully American

Whether it’s good versus evil, us against them, left versus right, paper or plastic, regular or decaf, we seem to live in an age that values polarization. But whatever happened to the good old middle ground, the place where diverse people can come together in a sense of unity? Click the links below to read how these essayists believe some middle ground can still be found.

1. The Tense Middle
2. The Value of the Middle
3. Finding One’s Own Middle Ground
4. The 50-Percent Theory of Life
5. In Praise of the ‘Wobblies’

As the spacecraft rover Curiosity sends us new photos of Mars, humanity is pondering the nature of life and the origins of the universe. By making a study of the heavens, these essayists also found inspiration for their beliefs. Click the links below to learn what they discovered.

1. Science Nourishes the Mind and the Soul
2. An Ideal of Service to Our Fellow Man
3. We Are All Stardust
4. Why Are We Here?
5. The Power of Mysteries

Whether you call it a do-over or a mulligan, the philosophy of the second chance has saved many a sports endeavor, homework assignment, career, or relationship. To move beyond the mistake or failure and start fresh is an opportunity for redemption at its most fundamental level. Click the links below to read how these essayists have benefitted from a second chance.

1. The Choice to Do It Over Again
2. Thank You for This Day
3. A Second Chance to Redeem Ourselves
4. Take-Backs and Do-Overs
5. Getting the Copy Right

Throughout his storied career at CBS, Edward R. Murrow hired a number of acclaimed producers and reporters, including William L. Shirer (pictured here with Murrow). This group came to be known as Murrow’s Boys. Several of these journalists also contributed essays to the 1950s This I Believe series. Click the links below to read statements from these esteemed newsmen.

1. A Reporter Quotes His Sources
2. Faith Springs from the Soul
3. The Armor of Cynicism
4. Action Is the Measure
5. At the Frontier

Many people say that listening to music is a very important part of their lives. And those who make music feel even stronger about its power to move them. For both famous musicians and the person sitting in the cubicle next to you, music can inspire some powerful beliefs.

1. The Artistry In Hidden Talents
2. A Musician of Many Cultures
3. Music Makes Me Come Alive
4. Doing Things My Own Way
5. Amazing Grace